Thai market expected to grow

The volume and value of Thailand’s cigarette market will keep expanding during the next five years, according to a story in The Nation quoting the ‘leading anti-tobacco activist’ Dr. Prakit Vatheesatokit.

Referring to a Euromonitor report he said that cigarette consumption would increase in Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand during the next five years, while it would be flat in Singapore and Vietnam.

Last year, 49.7 billion cigarettes were sold in Thailand, an increase of two percent on the sales recorded during the previous year.

And sales are projected to rise to 52.7 billion during 2020.

Meanwhile, given that these volume projections are correct, the value of cigarette sales would be expected to rise from Bt150.40 billion during 2015 to Bt196.57 billion during 2020.

The Nation said that the Thailand Tobacco Monopoly was expected to retain 70 percent of the market, though it wasn’t clear whether this referred to volume or value.